CUCC Expeditions to Austria: 1976 - 2023

As Fish Face was under several meters of snow our plans for the week were in tatters. We set off to make the long-suspected connection between Happy Butterfly and Fish Face to secure a back way in if the snow plugs return in future years. The rock shelter around the natural entrance to Happy Butterfly was blocked by a substantial snow plug, but while prospecting we found a climb down into a hole that leads to the same place.

We headed straight for the leads in the far east of the system. Rigging of the p12 and p50 went smoothy enough. We rigged the p50 differently than in the rigging guide that we'd found and didn't need a rope protector in this way.

After a few hours we were near the pushing front. Reuben rigged the ‘p25' (actually ~12m) in Couldashouldawoulda and we investigated the A lead marked along the rift. This is almost immediately closed down to a chimney up to a tight rift. While we were poking around the rift Michael notices a hole below us down which rocks fell a long way. He bolted down to the hole and it clearly opened up, so we dropped it.

By the time me and Reuben had surveyed through into the shaft Michael had dropped the very drippy shaft. Supposedly he was already a bit wet and cold so he decided he might as well go for it. He emerged soaking wet and we quickly left. Reuben also got wet while attempting to measure the depth of the shaft, he did not succeed and broke the tape, leaving the casing at the foot of the shaft (our loser disto ran out of juice in two shots)